China ready to take "China-DPRK Friendship Year" as an opportunity to promote bilateral relations: top legislator

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Choe Ryong Hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang, the DPRK, April 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

PYONGYANG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, held talks with Choe Ryong Hae, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), here on Thursday.

Zhao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, told Choe, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), that the China-DPRK traditional friendship was established and cultivated meticulously by the elder generations of leaders of both parties and both countries.

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping has repeatedly said that the CPC and the Chinese government attach great importance to the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, and that it is China's unwavering strategy to maintain, consolidate and develop bilateral relations, Zhao said.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK, Zhao said that General Secretary Xi and WPK General Secretary Kim Jong Un have exchanged New Year congratulatory messages, and jointly designated 2024 as the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" and launched a series of activities.

China is ready to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of both parties and both countries, and take the "China-DPRK Friendship Year" as an opportunity to intensify high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen strategic coordination, so as to promote China-DPRK relations to continue to move forward, Zhao said.

Exchanges between legislative bodies have been an important part of China-DPRK relations and long played a positive role in deepening bilateral relations, Zhao noted.

China is ready to intensify exchanges and cooperation with the DPRK's legislative bodies to help lift China-DPRK traditional friendly and cooperative relations to a higher level, he said.

Choe said the blood-cemented friendship between the two countries has a long history and profound foundation, and is the common precious heritage and wealth of the two countries.

Under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Kim and General Secretary Xi, DPRK-China friendly relations have entered a new era, which strongly demonstrates the vitality and unbreakability of bilateral relations, Choe said.

The DPRK is willing to join hands with China to follow the guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and take the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the "DPRK-China Friendship Year" to carry on and develop the traditional DPRK-China friendship, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and push for continuous development of DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations, he said.

The two sides exchanged views on the international and regional situations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

After the talks, Zhao and Choe witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in the fields including reciprocal exemption of diplomatic and service visas, mutual translation and publication of classical literatures, customs quarantine, radio and television, and postal delivery. They also jointly attended the welcoming banquet held by the DPRK for the Chinese party and government delegation.

Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Choe Ryong Hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), witness the signing of cooperation documents in the fields including reciprocal exemption of diplomatic and service visas, mutual translation and publication of classical literatures, customs quarantine, radio and television, and postal delivery after their talks in Pyongyang, the DPRK, April 11, 2024. Zhao Leji held talks with Choe Ryong Hae in Pyongyang on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)